Joe Judge continues to make sure the New York Giants practice with intensity

Despite the first-team offense and defense not facing each other, the intensity level was high at the New York Giants’ Monday practice.

The New York Giants were back on the practice field in pads on Monday morning, and despite the fact that the first-team offense didn’t compete against the first-team defense in 11-on-11 drills, it was still an intense session.

Urgency and accountability are just a few of the attributes head coach Joe Judge hopes will change the Giants’ losing culture.

Following Monday’s practice, Judge was asked about the overall intensity.

“The guys came out and they definitely ended with a good intensity at practice with competing at the end,” he said. “We have to get it where we come off a day off and we start sharp. That’s definitely something we have to work on as a team and improve there.”

Saquon Barkley and the rest of the running backs working on their blocking technique. pic.twitter.com/53xp6pLZvG

— Jason Leach (@JasonKLeach) August 24, 2020

In addition to the heightened intensity that was lacking from the prior regime, Judge having players and coaches run penalty laps is something new at Giants training camp this season. Three players on Monday had to run penalty laps — cornerback Corey Ballentine, running back Sandro Platzgummer, and offensive tackle Tyler Haycraft.

One player that stood out in Monday’s practice — and has stood out throughout camp thus far — was rookie cornerback Darnay Holmes. The first-year player out of UCLA knocked down a few passes and almost intercepted Daniel Jones late in the practice session.

The Giants have been dealing with their share of injuries in camp as receiver Darius Slayton and linebacker Ryan Connelly did not practice on Monday. Jabrill Peppers, Spencer Pulley, Shane Lemieux, and Rysen John additionally left the practice field with various setbacks.

After practice, Judge was asked about the injuries the Giants are dealing with at the moment.

“We had a couple guys dealing with some cramps,” he stated. “I’m going to check with the trainers when I get back and see where all those guys are at. There’s a couple guys that we are monitoring as we go through training camp. As we check them with a day up and a day down and take a little bit off of them right there.”

“Darius wasn’t with us today, he was the only one not really present at practice. The trainers are dealing with him. When we have more information, we will make sure we get it out to you.”

For the moment, none of the injuries sustained by the players mentioned appear to be serious. However, after an hour and 45 minutes, Judge gathered his team together and laid into them prior to them working on two-minute drills. Judge explained why he did so:

“We were just coming off of special teams and wanted to make sure we just established the emphasis of what the rest of practice was,” the rookie head coach said. “Little bit more of a move-the-field competitive period and then working some 2-minute end of the half, end of the game situations. I just wanted to make sure the players were aware of what we were trying to do at the end of practice, so they knew the speed of the drill and the emphasis of the drill.”

The practice session was supposed to last two hours but it ended up going for 30 minutes longer with a ramped-up level of intensity.

The Giants will be back on the practice field on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday before holding their Blue and White scrimmage on Friday at MetLife Stadium.